Gangtok, Nov 2 The 17th Gyalwang Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, has accepted an invitation from the Sikkim government to visit the Himalayan state on the occasion of the 45th parinirvana (death) anniversary of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, officials said on Monday.
The tentative date for the event is November 5, sources said.
The 17th Karmapa met Ecclesiastical Affairs Minister Sonam Lama and Kyabje Tingkey Goenjang Rinpoche at Gelephu in Bhutan on Sunday, during which the minister extended the invitation on behalf of the state government.
“While graciously accepting the invitation, His Holiness offered prayers for the peace and prosperity of the people of Sikkim,” the Ecclesiastical Department said in an official statement.
The Karmapa further enquired about the well-being of Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang, it said.
The invitation assumes significance as it comes ahead of the 45th parinirvana anniversary of the 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, an occasion of deep religious and spiritual importance for followers of the Karma Kagyu lineage, particularly in Sikkim.
The 16th Gyalwang Karmapa, Rangjung Rigpe Dorje, passed away in 1981. His sacred seat, Rumtek Monastery near Gangtok, remains one of the most important centres of the Karma Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism.
(PTI News)
